Come one, come all to the Maker Faire! Opening on Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018, Discovery Place Science will welcome thousands of make-enthusiasts to the Queen City for the fourth annual Charlotte Mini Maker Faire.

Presented by Ingersoll Rand, the Charlotte Mini Maker Faire is the largest local gathering of makers and tinkerers in Charlotte, created to inspire and showcase our creative community. This family-friendly event highlights the amazing work of all kinds of makers – anyone who is embracing the DIY spirit and wants to share their passion with an appreciative audience.

Expect to enjoy robotics, ceramics, 3D printing, electronics, screen printing, metalsmithing, textiles, rocketry, pyrography (wood burning) and much more. Visitors will also be able to explore Bot Hockey matches, marble run challenges, musical circuits and other hands-on activities for all attendees to participate in throughout the day.

New this year to the Charlotte Mini Maker Faire are a demonstration of beer brewing (with samples available for those age 21+) and a display of 3D-printed recreational prosthetics for children.

These and more than 30 other exhibitors will share their crafts and skills throughout the Museum and outside on N Tryon St. Booths located on Tryon St are free to the community. All other areas require an admission ticket. In the event of rain, the show must go on as outdoor vendors will be moved indoors, space permitting.

“Innovative, hands-on opportunities for kids to engage with STEAM are essential to developing the next generation of engineers, scientists and technicians at Ingersoll Rand and other companies that rely upon top technical talent,” said Paul Camuti, senior vice president of innovation and chief technology officer at Ingersoll Rand. “Mini Maker Faire is a celebration of design, imagination and tinkering which is a wonderful way for kids and adults alike to explore how things work and move, to inspire innovation and progress in our community.”

All Charlotte Mini Maker Faire events and activities are included with Discovery Place Science admission: $17 for adults (ages 14-59), $13 for children (ages 2-13), $15 for seniors (ages 60+) plus any applicable sales and use taxes. Admission is free for children younger than age 2 and Discovery Place Science Members. Parking is not included with Museum admission. Tickets are now on sale at cltmakerfaire.org or discoveryplacescience.org. Advance purchase is recommended.

Charlotte Mini Maker Faire is independently organized and operated by Discovery Place under license from Maker Media, Inc. For more information about Discovery Place, visit discoveryplace.org.

About Maker Faire

Maker Faire is the Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth—a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity and resourcefulness, and a celebration of the Maker Movement. It’s a place where people show what they are making, and share what they are learning.

Makers range from tech enthusiasts to crafters to homesteaders to scientists to garage tinkerers. They are of all ages and backgrounds. The aim of Maker Faire is to entertain, inform, connect and grow this community.

The original Maker Faire event was held in San Mateo, CA and in 2016 celebrated its eleventh annual show with some 1200+ makers and 150,000 people in attendance. World Maker Faire New York, the other flagship event, has grown in five years to 900+ makers and 90,000 attendees. Thirty-two other larger scale Maker Faires occur in cities around the world—Detroit, Atlanta, Berlin, Paris, Rome, Tokyo, and Shenzhen to name a few— and over 150 community-driven, independently organized Mini Maker Faires are now being produced around the United States and the world.About Make: Magazine

Make: is the first magazine devoted entirely to Do-It-Yourself (DIY) technology projects. Make: unites, inspires, informs, and entertains a growing community of resourceful people who undertake amazing projects in their backyards, basements, and garages. Make: celebrates your right to tweak, hack, and bend any technology to your will. Download a free issue here.

Ingersoll Rand (NYSE:IR) advances the quality of life by creating comfortable, sustainable and efficient environments. Our people and our family of brands—including Club Car®, Ingersoll Rand®, Thermo King®and Trane®—work together to enhance the quality and comfort of air in homes and buildings; transport and protect food and perishables; and increase industrial productivity and efficiency. We are a $13 billion global business committed to a world of sustainable progress and enduring results. For more information, visit www.ingersollrand.com.

About Discovery Place Science

One of the top hands-on science museums in the nation, Discovery Place Science provides ever-changing, entertaining facilities that engage people in the active exploration of science, technology and nature. The Museum brings relevant, contemporary science to life through groundbreaking exhibitions, interactive educational programming and hands-on activities.

Discovery Place Science is located in uptown Charlotte at 301 N. Tryon Street. Convenient parking is available in the Museum’s parking deck – the Carol Grotnes Belk Complex – at the corner of Sixth and Church Streets. For more information about Discovery Place, call 704.372.6261, visit discoveryplace.org or connect with Discovery Place Science on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

About Discovery Place

Discovery Place is a 501c3 nonprofit that provides STEM education to the Carolinas through four distinct museum experiences at Discovery Place Science, Discovery Place Nature and Discovery Place Kids, interactive educational programming, professional development training and community outreach initiatives. In 2017, Discovery Place was named as a finalist for the National Medal by the Institute for Museum and Library Science.

Discovery Place is supported, in part, with funding from the Arts & Science Council.